The present invention relates to a portable, clamp-on storage container for use in the load bed of a conventional pickup truck to store and protect articles against theft and damage from the weather and the environment.
It is well known in the art to provide tool boxes which are mounted or supported in the load bed of a pickup truck. Patents representative of the prior art showing tool boxes and other storage enclosures for mounting in the load bed of a pickup truck or other vehicles are:
______________________________________ 4,249,684 Miller et al. Feb. 10, 1981 4,288,011 Grossman Sep. 8, 1981 4,531,774 Whatley Jul. 30, 1985 4,635,992 Hamilton et al. Jan. 13, 1987 Des. 260,633 Gorman Sep. 8, 1981 Des. 261,499 Sauber Oct. 27, 1981 ______________________________________
The use of screw clamps for clamping various articles such as trunks, crates, etc., to different parts of a vehicle body is also known in the art. The following patents are representative:
______________________________________ 1,356,274 Edmonds et al. Oct. 19, 1920 1,550,829 McBride Aug. 25, 1925 1,596,795 Blakeney Aug. 17, 1926 1,639,606 Hays Aug. 16, 1927 1,711,717 Beauford May. 7, 1929 4,623,187 Ibrahim Nov. 18, 1986 ______________________________________
In each of the above patents which show articles clamped onto a vehicle, the actuator for tightening the jaws of the clamp against a part of the vehicle, is accessible to anyone who might wish to remove the article from the vehicle.
It is a primary object of this invention to provide a portable, lightweight and lockable storage container which may be clamped in the load bed of a pickup truck without any structural or cosmetic changes to the load bed of the truck and without the need for tools. While storage containers of various sizes and shapes may be provided within the intent and scope of this invention as claimed, a preferred embodiment of the invention is a storage container for luggage such as suitcases, handbags, knapsacks, bedrolls, etc. which should be stored and locked in a safe enclosure to prevent theft as well as damage from the elements.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a lockable storage container having a screw clamp mounted on the container in such a manner that the clamp cannot be removed from the container when the container is locked, and the screw actuator for the clamp is accessible only from inside of the container so that when the clamp is secured to a vehicle part, such as the end wall of the load bed, and the container is locked closed, the clamp cannot be loosened or removed from the part to which it is clamped without structural damage to the container or part.